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Hello! I haven't done a name crush for the past few weeks so this week I'd like t get back at it and share with you a name that I've totally been loving lately.

Elias

Greek from the Hebrew Elijah

"God is the Lord"

Ranked #103

Elias is a handsome Greek alternative to the very popular Hebrew name Elijah. Elijah was at #11 in 2014 however, while Elijah is falling in popularity, Elias is steadily rising, jumping 10 spots between 2013 and 2014. Elias can be pronounced two ways "ee-LYE-us" and "eh-LEE-us" (I hope I'm communicating that correctly). I tend to prefer the "ee-LYE-us" pronunciation. One cool thing about the name Elias is that it transitions really well between English and Spanish (and possibly a few other languages). In Spanish translations of the Bible the name that we find in English versions rendered as Elijah, will be rendered as Elias. In Spanish, though, the pronunciation is only "eh-LEE-us" and the final syllable will sound more like "as" than "us" with a Spanish accent. Elias is one of the first names I suggest when someone is looking for a name that Spanish-speaking family and friends as well as English-speaking family and friends can understand and easily pronounce, and that's a request you see pretty frequently in the naming community.

Walt Disney's full name is Walter Elias Disney (Elias is his's dad's first name) so Elias could be a nice subtle tribute for Disney fanatics. Another cool Elias namesake is a young actor that I've recently discovered thanks to the show Fuller House: Elias Harger. Elias Harger plays middle child Max and is quite the little scene-stealer! Max has already become my favorite character!

Hello everyone! By now I'm sure that the whole internet is as enraptured with Fuller House so I thought it would be fun to do a celebrity sib set article about star Candace Cameron Bure's family! This one turned out to be extra interesting because Candace Cameron is married to Valeri Bure, a Russian-born former hockey player and they gave all their children beautiful Russian names.

As I said, Valeri was born in Russia, where Valeri is often used as a boys name as opposed a girls name, like it is here in the States. From what I read, Valeri mostly goes by Val. Candace is an ancient name that's found in the Bible (she's the queen of Ethiopia). Other possible meanings for Candace are "white", "pure", and "sincere". Candace is no longer in the top 1000 in the US, dropping off the list in 2006.

Candace and Val's daughter is Natasha, a bold and powerful name with Russian roots. Natasha is a Russian diminutive of Natalya. In 2014, Natasha ranked #644. It's been falling fast in recent years but it was #205 in 1998 when Natasha Bure was born. Another interesting feature in all the Bure kids' names is the traditional patronymic, a middle honoring the father's first name. Natasha's full name is Natasha Valerievna Bure.

Maksim is another very traditional Russian name. (I think this one is my favorite!) This spelling is not in the top 1000 but Maxim was #716 in 2014 and Maximilian was #445. With Maxim on the rise, I expect that Maksim will enter the top 1000 in the US sometime soon. Maksim also has the traditional patronymic, making his name Maksim Valerievich Bure. I've read that Maksim sometimes goes by Maks (Max).

Lev is an interesting name that means "lion" in Russian (as well as "heart" in Hebrew). It's related to the much more popular name Leo. Leo was at #97 in 2014 but Lev has neer been in the top 1000 in the U.S. The famed Russian author we know as Leo Tolstoy was born Lev. Lev is pronounced with the long 'e' sound, like Levi. Lev's full name is Lev Valerievich Bure.

Like last time, I'm going to pick some names that I think go with their style. I don't know that they're looking to have more kids but in case one of you really likes their style, I'm going to suggest some names that go along with these. For a boy, I really love Mikhail, the Russian version of Michael. Russian names aren't a category I know much about but I looked some up and I also liked Dmitri, Nikolai, and Ruslan (Ruslan comes from Turkish, not Russian but it's most common in Russian speaking countries. For girls, I like Tatiana, which is Valeri's mother's name (his father's name is Vladimir). I also like Anastasia, Zoya, and Katerina.

This family's cool Russian name choices make a fun set! I fins the idea of the patronymic so interesting! I hope you enjoyed reading about these names! If you want to read more about the Bure family, you can visit candacecameronbure.net.

What do you think of this family's naming style? What names do you think go with their style?

Hello everyone! Last week I wrote about names of babies born in my hometown in 1991, the same year I was born. This week I want to share with you some names of babies born in Brazos County, TX (the county I was born in) 100 years ago in 1916. I found this information via ancestry.com. Lets see how much naming trends changed over the years!

Last time I listed girls names that occurred on the list more than once. This time, I just listed some that were of note to me. Fredonia is the one that stood out to me the most! I don't know that it will ever make comeback. They talk about a "hundred year rule" with naming trends and in some respects, I think that proves true. I think that several of these names are out for good but many have already made comebacks. I don't know any little Dorothys or Mildreds but it's not uncommon to find young Claras, Ellas, Rubys, or Lillians.

*Quick correction: Johnie should be Johnnie with two ns.

The name that stuck out to me most on the boys side was Tinner. I'd be curious to know the story behind that name. Was it someone's maiden name? Who knows. Just like with the girls names, many of these names have made a comeback. In fact, I think more of the boys names have come back than the girls names and many of the classics never faded. Names that haven't come back yet would be Reynold, Elmer, Carl and some of the nicknames as full names for boys. Aric is probably my favorite on this list and it's never really been too popular. Walter, Oliver, George, Henry, and Arthur could all be considered "grandpa chic" these days! Leon isn't quite popular again but it's rising!

I noticed an interesting trend among these 1916 names: nicknames as given names. I think each era has its own version of this. Using a nickname as a given names not my personal style but many people like it. I could see a few of these being used as given names today but not too many. More modern examples of this trend would be names like Ellie, Mia, Sadie, Liam, and Jack.

There were some very cool combos among the 1916 names! My favorite is Clara Louise. Ruth Geniviene also intrigued me! Fredonia Ethel Mae isn't really my style but I love it for its vintage feel! I think there will probably be a few Alice Elizabeths born in 2016 as well.

These are the combos that stood out to me most with the boys names. I don't think Arthur Walker flows well together but I like both names. Elmer Linsey is interesting to me. I know that Linsey/Lindsey/Lindsay started out as a man's name but it's always kind of strange to see it used for a man when it was so prominent for girls of my generation. Roy's name that I don't think has ever really gone out of style but what I really like about Roy Quincy is Quincy! I'd love to meet more people named Quincy! I have more than one great-uncle named James and a great-uncle named Elmer so that's what I think of when I see James Elmer, though I'm sure many people still think of Elmer Fudd from Looney Toons. Maybe 2016 will be the year that Elmer shakes that image and begins to make a comeback.... but I don't really see that happening on a large scale anytime soon.

Hello everyone! It's time for some more names of the week. Both of these names really capture an ancient, old-fashioned sound, and modern sound. They feel at home in a variety of time periods.

Madeleine

French form of Magdalene

"tower"

Ranked #283 in 2014

Madeleine is a name that feels dainty and lyrical, yet strong at the same time. It's a French version of the name Magdalene, as in Mary Magdalene of the Bible. The meaning "tower" brings to my mind a place of refuge. The Madeleine spelling is very French and much less popular than the Madeline spelling without the e, which ranks at #89. The Madeline of children's literature is spelled without the e. More modern spelling Madelyn is the most popular one #59. When you add up the many spelling options for Madeleine, it ranks all the way at #12! Madeleine can be pronounced "MAD-uh-line" or "MAD-uh-lynn". Personally, I prefer the Madeleine spelling and the "MAD-uh-line" pronunciation. I'm not super crazy about the nickname Madi/Maddie, especially since it's also a nickname for Madison, another very popular name. A little Madi is likely to be one of many. Madi is the most obvious nickname for Madeleine so you'd have to get creative if you wanted to use something different. Del, Della, and Lena all make since. Since Madeleine is a form of Magdalene, Maggie and Meg work too, even if it's a bit of a stretch. If Madeleine and it's alternate spellings are too popular for your taste, Magdalena is ranked #976 and Magdala, Magdalen, and Magdalene are not ranked at all.

Oliver

Latin

"olive tree"

Ranked #32 in 2014

My feelings about the name Oliver have changed over the past several years. Just a few years ago, would have said Oliver was too old-manish or maybe too kitty-cat (I loved the movie Oliver and Company growing up). Now, I think of Oliver as a really sweet name that's come back into favor alongside other old-fashioned names such as Theodore, Oscar, and George. Oliver has in the top 100 in the early 1900s but as of 2014, Oliver is by far the most popular it's ever been at #32. The furthest down on the top 1000 list it's ever been was #473 in 1986. Oliver re-entered the top 100 in 2009. Olive leaves are known for their healing properties and are effective infection-fighters. As far as cultural associations go, Oliver Twist, the novel by Charles Dickens that has been adapted many times in literature and on screen (including the talking-animal cartoon version Oliver and Company), is probably the most recognizable. A notable historical association is Oliver Reginald Tambo (O.R. Tambo), a prominent colleague of Nelson Mandela who fought to end apartheid in South Africa. If Oliver is too popular for your taste, you might consider Ollivander, which was not ranked in the top 1000 in 2014 but I could see that changing in the near future.

What do you think of Madeleine and Oliver? What middle names would you pair them with and what names would you give to siblings of Madeleine and Oliver?

The combo I like best for Madeleine is Madeleine Priscilla. Oliver Reginald is an amazing name but the combo I like best for Oliver is Oliver James, even though it seems pretty standard. For siblings to Madeleine Priscilla and Oliver James, I'd choose Julia Verity and Theodore John.

Hello everyone! I've talked a little bit about celebrity baby names before but today's article is a little different and I'm excited about it! This is going to be the first in an ongoing series about celebrity sibling sets, looking at the names celebrities choose for their children within the context of the entire family. It's always interesting to see themes and patterns emerge when you look at their naming style.

To start off this series I chose one of the sweetest families on TV right now: the Gaines family! The Gaines family of Waco, Texas is featured on the remodeling show Fixer Upper. Chip and Joanna (dad and mom) take houses from downright frightening to absolutely fabulous! Their four children are often on the show as well. The work they do on houses is fascinating but it's the fun family dynamic that makes the show so charming. My husband and I really enjoyed watching the first season on Netflix!

I find Chip's name interesting. I couldn't find any place online where his full name is listed but Chip is usually a nickname for Charles, a French name meaning "free man". Charles is a name that was most popular in the early 1900's but it's fade has been gradual and it's even risen some in the past couple years.

Joanna is Hebrew name found in the Bible. It has the lovely meaning of "the Lord's grace". Joanna was most popular in 1984 when it ranked #88. In 2014, Joanna was at #337 but it is one of many biblical girls names on the rise. I wonder if Joanna Gaines's presence on television might be positively influencing it's popularity.

To me Drake is the ultimate "cool guy" name. It's familiar but not overly popular. It's only broken into the top 200 once, in 2010. Drake is currently #348. The possible meaning "dragon" makes Drake extra cool. One syllable names are often chosen for the middle name spot but they make excellent choices in the first name spot as well, especially if you're looking for a name that can't be shortened.

Ella is such a sweet, simple name! I adore it's subtlety and charm! The meaning "all" or "completely" is very interesting and endearing as well. Ella is the perfect balance between old-fashioned and modern. Ella was in the top 50 in the 1900's but it actually surpassed its former popularity when it made its comeback, beginning in 1990. Ella fell out of the top 1000 in the 80's but began to make a consistent rise from 1990 until it reached #12 in 2011 and 2012. Ella is slowly slipping downward now and is currently at #17. I still think Ella will be a prominent name for some time! Ella Gaines's full name is Ella Rose Gaines, a charming little combo that flows very well.

In my opinion, Duke is the most intriguing name in this set. Duke is an English title of nobility that comes from roots meaning "leader" or "commander". My primary association for this name is the jazz musician Duke Ellington but John Wayne was also referred to as "the Duke", so there's that association as well. Depending on what comes to your mind when you hear the name Duke, it can have anything from a proper English feel, to a hip jazz feel, to a country western feel, making Duke a very versatile name! Duke is currently #666 and I'm kind of surprised to see it up so high! It's rising really fast, too. Duke only just reentered the top 1000 in 2013 at #720! The names Drake and Duke are so similar that when I heard them talk about Duke on the show, I thought it must be Drake's nickname! Like I said, Duke is an intriguing name and I'm very curious to see how it rises in popularity over the coming years!

While Emma is currently the #1 name in the country (though not for long by my estimation), and Emily is also in the top 10, this spelling of Emmie hasn't been seen in the top 1000 since 1935! The Emme spelling used by Jennifer Lopez is also not ranked in the top 1000 but the Emmy was ranked #663 in 2014. Emmie is a very sweet name and the combo Emmie Kay Gaines is just adorable!

So, it's not hard to see the theme in the Gaines's kids names, There's almost two different themes going, one for boys and one for girls. I think all four names go well together, though. The Gaines personal style when it comes to homes seems to be similar to their naming style: classic, country, simple, sweet, with just a little bit of flair.

Drake and Duke are very similar (maybe too similar for some people's taste) but I think they're just different enough to make it work. They both begin with D, are one syllable, and have a k sound at the end. The dominant vowel sounds are very different, though, making them distinctive. In addition to their similarity in sound, their meanings go together. With Drake meaning "dragon" and Duke making me think of a knight, I get a vivid mental image of medieval times. They could also both be cowboy sounding names, bringing up pictures of the old west.

Ella and Emmie again are very similar in sound. They both begin with E, have two syllables and have a kind of nickname-y feel. What I thought was so cool about these two names was their complementary meanings. Ella means "all" or "completely" and Emmie means "universal".

I don't know if Chip and Joanna would ever have more kids but just for fun, I'd like to play a little game I'll call "complete the sibset" and I want you to play along. I'm going to choose a boys name and a girls name that I think fit with their current kids names.

For a boys name I'd choose Dax. It doesn't have a k, but it has a k sound. I could also see Deacon, Drew, Dean fitting in as well. For a girl I'd choose Elsie. It might be a little too similar to Ella and Emmie but the Gaines family seems to like their kids names to be similar. Other names that could work would be Etta, Esme, Elaina, Eliza, Eva and Evelyn. They could also reverse their letter theme and choose names like Dinah and Edward (Eddie).

I love the this family's name choices! Their family's charm really what makes the show so great! I'd encourage you to watch Fixer Upper on TV or Netflix if you get the chance!

What do you think of the Gaines kids names? How would you complete the sibset?

Hello everybody! Yesterday was my 25th birthday! That's hard to believe! As far as name trends go, a lot can happen in 25 years. I have an old newspaper with names of babies born in my hometown of Bryan/College Station, Texas so I thought I'd write an article about some of the tends that I noticed and some names that stuck out to me.

Girls Names:

In the paper, these were the girls name that appeared more than once. For the most part, these names seem to accurately reflect the names of my peers that I remember from school (though I didn't go to school with most of the other kids in the paper.) Some things that surprised me were at least three Calis, all with different spellings and two female Kendall's, both with different spellings.

These middle names also seemed pretty standard to me. I was surprised to see more than one Elaine and more than one Rae (sometimes Ray). I knew Rae was somewhat common as a middle name these days, but I didn't know it was so popular back then. Upon reading the article again, I realized that there were also multiple Katherines (multiple spellings) and Kays.

This is my name and picture. I was surprised by the number of other Alyssas on the list and the different spellings. I knew that Alyssa was #30 both nationally and in the state of Texas in 1991 but I only ever went to school with one other girl named Alyssa and she spelled it Elyssa. The popularity of Marie didn't surprise me at all! It seemed like every girl I knew had Marie as a middle name!

Boys Names:

Again, these names seemed to accurately reflect the names of my classmates. Some names that I thought I might see on this list but didn't were Tyler and maybe Austin. There was one Colby on the list and I knew two Colbys in school so I looked up Colby's ranking in 1991. It was #202 nationally which was quite a bit higher than I expected. I was surprised by the number of Johns that I saw on this list! John is still fairly high in the charts, and was even more so then, but I don't remember any classmates that actually went by John. Maybe that's accounted for by the fact that many of the Johns were juniors. It was of note to me that there were two Coltons. I discussed in a previous article the fact that even though Colton is more popular nationally in 2014 than it's ever been, it seems a bit dated to me because it was very popular here in Texas in the 90's. When I looked over the names again, I realized I also needed to include James to this list.

These middle names also seemed pretty typical for boys my age. Thomas was the name that immediately stood out to me when looking at middle names. When I looked over the list again, I notice there was also more than one boy with the middle name Ray and the middle name Reid (different spellings).

Unisex Names:

The names that occurred for both boys and girls on this list were interesting to me! The fact that there were multiple Kendalls was surprising to me. I knew one male Kendall growing up. I was surprised to find that Kendall was #386 in 1991 for girls and #305 for boys. In 2014 Kendall was #131 for girls and #754 for boys. In the newspaper, there was one male Kendall and two female Kendalls (different spellings). Shelby was the name that was really shocking, though! I knew that Shelby originated as a male name but I had never heard it used on a boy! There were multiple female Shelbys on the list an one male Shelby. Shelby was #427 for boys in 1991, and #33 for girls. In 2014, Shelby was #294 for girls and it dropped of the top 1000 for boys in 2000. Ray was a notable unisex middle name.

Favorite Combos:

These were some girls combos that stood out to me. The one that stood out to me the most was Elyssia Maria. It's super similar to my name but Elyssia is very rare and has different roots. Lucy Katherine is really sweet, but it's a name I'd expect more now with the interest in vintage names than in 1991. Morgan Love is a cute little combo! I really like Love as a middle name!

These four boys names really caught my interest. By far, Will Justice is the most striking. I normally don't like two word names in a row. Will Justice kind of sounds like an unfinished question but it also sounds like a very powerful name to me. Lucas Fielder is my favorite name on this boys list. I really like both the first and middle names. I was surprised to find an Everett from 1991. It's another name that I would expect to hear more today than back then. In 1991 it was #591 and in 2014 it's #167. Ross Marion was also very interesting to me, mostly because of the middle name! Marion was actually still on the top 1000 list for boys back in 1991!

There were some very cool names in among this bunch and also a lot of names that were pretty standard 90s names. If you're curious, the #1 boys name in 1991 was Michael and the #1 girls name was Ashley. Today, it's Noah and Emma (soon to be Noah and Olivia, by my estimation). Name trends are fascinating to me. They're such an interesting reflection of culture!

What names were popular when you were born? What names come to mind as standard "classmate" names to you? What was the most interesting name of a kid you went to school with? Let me know in the comments!

Hello everyone! I was searching through news articles for some names of Valentines Day babies from years past when I found this fascinating story instead! I was so excited when I read this cool article and saw the absolutely wonderful names!

On Monday in New Jersey, identical twin sisters Stephanie Edginton and Nicole Montgomery gave birth to baby girls just minutes apart in the same hospital! Stephanie's baby girl was a little late in coming, originally due on February 5th. Nicole's baby girl was originally due on Valentine's Day but both babies made their arrival just under a week before February 14th. What special early Valentines these girls are! I think it's so cool that these cousins will share a birthday, just like their moms!

Stephanie and her husband welcomed their little girl named Cora Caron. Cora is a name that I considered for the Valentine's Day baby name list because of it's possible connection to the Spanish word for heart, corazon. Another possible meaning for the name Cora is "maiden" and it was ranked at #103 in 2014. (Read about similarly named New Years baby Coraline.)

Nicole and her husband named their baby girl Louisa Nicole (I saw one article where it was spelled Luisa so I'm not sure which is correct). Louisa is a lovely name that I've featured a few times. I featured it in my article about author's names in honor of Louisa May Alcott, one of my favorites! Louisa is a German name meaning "renowned warrior". It's only just made it back onto the top 1000 in 2014 and is currently at #973.

Cora and Louisa are such swoon-worthy names! I was so thrilled when I saw them! They have a similar cute, vintage style and would make great sibling names, in my opinion! They're very sweet cousin names too, though. Both Cora and Louisa are featured on my fashionably old-fashioned girls names list.

Hello everyone! I hope January was good to you! It's February now and that means Valentine's Day is coming up. It's a time where we celebrate love and friendship (in Mexico it's referred to as the day of love and friendship as well as Valentine's Day) and also the story of Saint Valentine. It's a special thing to have a baby close to Valentine's Day and some parents might want to honor the time of year the baby was born by choosing a Valentine's Day themed name. Not all parents would choose that (mine didn't--- my birthday is on the 17th of February and my name has nothing to do with Valentine's Day) but if you're interested in a Valentine's Day themed name (or a name centered around love and friendship), I have plenty of suggestions for you!

Girls

Amorette

"love"

Origin: French

Not ranked in 2013 or 2014

Is it cheesy to say that I'm in love with this name? It's feminine and cute but unique and with a bit of a snap. There are a lot of great nicknames you could use for Amorette like Ami, Ama, Mora, Rette, or Etta.

Valentina

"strong, healthy", feminine form of Valentine

Origin: Latin

Ranked #112 in 2014

I think Valentina would be the most obvious valentine name even though it means "strong and healthy", not love. Valentina is a charming feminine name along the lines of popular names like Sophia and Isabella, but with a bit more power behind it. Val, Valley, and Tina are all great nicknames for Valentina.

Rose

"rose"

Origin: English

Ranked #194 in 2014

It's hard to go wrong with such a beautiful classic name like Rose. In addition to being #194 on the list for first names, I believe that Rose is even more popular for middle names. It might be the new Marie. Longer versions such as Rosalie, Rosemary, and Rosa are all at least marginally popular as well. Versions such as Rosalind, Rosetta, and Rosanna are not in the top 1000.

Rosalind

"beautiful rose"

Origin: Latin"

Not ranked in the top 1000

Rosalind and alternate spelling Roselind are my favorite variations of the name Rose. Rosalind is a full, rich name that's both feminine and strong. The Rosalyn variation of this name has made it back into the the lower rankings of the top 1000 but in my opinion Rosalind looks much prettier and more complete. Rosalind is one of my favorite names and I'd love to see it used more often! It's just so beautiful!

Carys

"love"

Origin:Welsh

Not ranked in the top 1000 in 2014

Carys is a stunning and unique Welsh name meaning love. I think the different sound and look of Carys are gorgeous but some other versions to consider would be Cara, Carine, and Carina.

Philomena

"lover of strength"

Origin: Greek

Not ranked in the top 1000 in 2014

Philomena is another uncommon name with love in the meaning. Philomena has a frilly sound but its meaning is very strong. Mena would be a cute nickname!

Kerenza

"love"

Origin: Cornish

Not ranked in the top 1000 in 2014

Kerenza is unique, feminine and very beautiful! Keri, Ren, or Renzi would all make lovely nicknames! Kerenza can also be spelled Kerensa. I don't know why this gorgeous name hasn't caught on yet! It's absolutely stunning!

Aimee

"love"

Origin: French

Ranked #815 in 2014

Aimee is a French version of Amy. Amy was very popular in the 60s, 70s and 80s (even reaching the #2 spot a couple times) and is still the most popular spelling today. Aimee is much less common and has a very pretty, frilly look to it. Aimee/Amy is a very sweet name that's not currently rising so if you're looking for a name that won't increase in popularity anytime soon, Aimee/Amy's a great choice. Because of its former popularity, it might sound a bit dated to some, but I think Aimee/Amy's simple sweetness could be enough to overcome that.

Amabel

"lovable"

Origin: Latin

Not ranked in the top 1000 in 2014

Amabel is a cute, old fashioned name meaning "lovable". Amabel is a predecessor to the very popular Annabelle and also Mabel. Amabel is one of those underused names that has a lot of potential to become fashionably old-fashioned.

Fleur

"flower"

Origin: French

Not ranked in the top 1000 in 2014

Flowers are a common gift on Valentine's Day so I thought the lovely French name Fleur would be fitting. If the pronunciation of Fleur is confusing for you or you think it might be for your friends and family, you might also consider Flora or Fiorella, neither of which are ranked.

Esme

"beloved"

Origin: French

Ranked #816

How could I pass up a name that means beloved? Esme (ezz-may) is a cute, short and sweet French name. Up until last year it wasn't rising quickly but between 2013 and 2014, Esme gained 110 spots! It's not really popular yet but it's growing!

Gemma

"gemstone"

Origin: Italian

Ranked #272 in 2014

Gemma is an absolutely gorgeous gem name and one of my favorites! Jewelry is often given as a gift on Valentine's day so I thought Gemma would be a great name for little girls born close to Valentine's Day.

Ruby

"ruby"

Origin: English

Ranked #90

Ruby is a cute vintage gem name that's been steadily rising. Many gem names would be cute around Valentine's Day but the ruby's deep red color makes it especially fitting.

Scarlet

"scarlet"

Origin: English

Ranked #390 in 2014

Scarlet is a deep red color, making it a fitting name for the season of love. Scarlett is by far the more popular version of this name, ranking at #30 in 2014.

Mia

"mine"

Origin: Italian/Spanish

Ranked #6 in 2014

As a top 10 name, Mia is definitely the most popular on this list. "Cara mia" is an Italian phrase meaning "my beloved". It's simple but oh-so-sweet! I can see why it's so popular.

Dava

"beloved"

Origin: Hebrew

Not ranked in the top 1000

Dava (DAY-vuh) is a very uncommon feminine form of David, meaning beloved. It's short and sweet but I think it's a name that will age well. Dava would also be a great choice for someone looking to honor a David.

Bellamy

"fine friend"

Origin: English from French

Not ranked in the top 1000 in 2014

Bellamy is not ranked in the top 1000 but it has a very on-trend sound that very fun! You could certainly get the nickname Bella from Bellamy without having to use a name as common as say, Isabella.

Verity

"truth"

Origin: EnglishNot ranked in the top 1000 in 2014

Verity is an older English word name meaning "truth". I thought it would make a cute name for Valentine's Baby based on the concept of "true love". Plus, it has points for starting with a V.

Boys

Valentine

"strong"

Origin: Latin

Not ranked in the top 1000 in 2014

Valentine is the most obvious way to honor the fact that a baby was born close to Valentine's day. It might seem a bit much in the firt name spot but it would make a handsome middle name. If you're curious about the history, check out this article about Saint Valentine.

Valentino

"strong, healthy"

Origin:Latin

Ranked #765 in 2014

Valentino, along with sister name Valentina, are also very obvious ways to honor a Valentine's Day birth, even though they mean "strong" instead of love.

Valen

"strong"

Origin: Latin

Not ranked in the top 1000 in 2014

Valen is a striking, unique alternative to Valentine that feels more wearable. I came across this name for the first time recently thanks to fellow name blogger Alexia Mae.

Valor

"valor, strength, bravery"

Origin: Enlish from Latin

Not ranked in the top 1000 in 2014

Valor is an extremely handsome word name that has a similar sound to Valentine. If you like word names, Valor might make a great choice for you!

Theophilus

"lover of God", "loved by God"

Origin: Greek

Not ranked in the top 1000 in 2014

Theophilus is an awesome but underused Biblical name with a fantastic meaning! It doesn't get much better than "loved by God"! Theo is the most modern nickname but if Phil is more your style, you can get that from Theophilus too.

Reuel

"friend of God"

Origin: Hebrew

Not ranked in the top 1000 in 2014

Reuel is a biblical Hebrew name that also has a wonderful meaning: "friend of God". It has a unique sound and is very underused! Reu is a sweet nickname!

DavidMeaning: "beloved"Origin: HebrewRanked #18 in 2014

David is a well-loved classic with an amazing meaning and the namesake of the biblical David who was known as the "sweet singer of Israel".

Dawson

"son of David", "beloved son"

Origin: Hebrew

Ranked #320 in 2014

If David is a little too classical for your taste, you might try Dawson. Though it's going down in popularity, Dawson feels very modern. Dawson means "son of David". David means "beloved" so you could take Dawson to mean "beloved son". All in all, it's very handsome.

Aldin

"old, wise friend"

Origin: English

Not ranked in the top 1000 in 2014

Aldin is an underused name with a trendy sound. Spelled with an 'i', it's not in the top 1000 but Alden with an 'e' is more popular.

Connelly

"love, friendship"

Origin: Irish

Not ranked in the top 1000 in 2014

Americans seem to have quite a love-affair with Irish names so Connelly would fit right in with that trend. It might be a great alternative to the very popular Connor.

Reid

"red"

Origin: English

Ranked #259 in 2014

Reid is a snappy little one-syllable name that's been gaining popularity lately. It means red, making it a cute and subtle Valentine's day choice.

Truman

"loyal one"

Origin: English

Ranked #961 in 2014

Truman would make an equally adorable and strong name for a boy, included because "true love." Truman is familiar but nowhere near popular so that makes it very appealing. Is there a cooler nickname than Tru/True? I can't believe this amazing name hasn't caught on yet!

Jedidiah

"beloved of the Lord"

Origin: Hebrew

Ranked #782 in 2014

Jedidiah is an old-fashioned biblical name that's making a comeback. In the Bible, Jedidiah was the name God gave Solomon at his birth. "Beloved of the Lord" is such an amazing meaning, especially since it was given by the Lord himself! Jed and Jedi are awesome nicknames.

Audie

"old friend"

Origin: English

Not ranked in the top 1000 in 2014

Audie is a cute name meaning "old friend". It kind of sounds like a nickname but it's long been used as a stand-alone name.

Amadeo

"lover of God"

Origin: Italian

Not ranked in the top 1000 in 2014

Amadeo has a unique sound and a great meaning. Deo would make a cute nickname!

Caradoc

"amiable, beloved"

Origin: Welsh

Not ranked in the top 1000 in 2014

Caradoc has a distinctly Welsh sound so it may or may not transition well to the United States. Doc would be a really cool nickname, though!

Theodore

"gift of God"

Origin: Greek

Ranked #126 in 2014

Theodore is an ancient Greek name that seemed to be going out of style in the early 2000s (although it's hardly dipped outside of the top 300 since SSA began keeping track in the late 1800s) but has made a quick turn around. The nickname Teddy made it seem appropriate for this Valentine's list since teddy bears are often given as gifts on Valentine's day. Theo is another fantastic nickname for Theodore.

Rhys

"ardor"

Origin: Welsh

Ranked #483 in 2014

Rhys (pn like Reeces Pieces) is such a cute name! With the meaning ardor, it fits right in as a Valentine's name. I'm surprised this handsome name isn't more popular!

Arden

"ardent"

Origin: English

Not ranked in the top 1000 in 2014

Arden is another name that means ardor or ardent. Although Arden is not ranked, I think it fits in well with current naming trends and most people would be able to catch on to it quickly, even if they'd never heard it before.

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